


Safe and Sound

by kullenite



Series: Teirin Lavellan [2]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games)
Genre: Death, M/M, THIS IS REALLY SAD IM SO SORRY, Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-22
Updated: 2015-07-22
Packaged: 2018-04-10 16:07:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4398464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kullenite/pseuds/kullenite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teirin Lavellan was 12, almost 13. Almost a man. </p><p>He quickly had to grow up, knowing that he had taken on the role of a leader.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Disaster

**Author's Note:**

> HI! This is really really sad, and I wrote it while listening to Taylor Swift's song Safe and Sound, and I'M SORRY. 
> 
> tags and stuff will be updated as the story moves along, but for right now that's really all i've got

Teirin and the other children of the clan huddled behind the largest rock in the cave they could find. Somehow, he had been elected leader of their little group, being the oldest. He was only 12, (almost thirteen, almost a man, his mother would have said.) Most of the adults in the clan were off fighting the darkspawn that had raided them. They were unprepared, most of the heavy hitters being off hunting, and he knew they wouldn’t last. His mother and father had been caught off guard, and he was trying not to remember the vivid murder. 

“Teirin!” his mother had shouted, “Teirin, run!” 

That was when it had grabbed her, slicing her through with it’s black, almost oil slicked, claws. His father was next, reaching a hand out to his dead mother, screaming in anguish. It was then that a demon had gripped him by the neck, and Teirin had begun to run before he could see it rip his father’s head clear from his body. He heard nothing for a short while, running towards the cave. 

“Teirin,” one of the children whispered. “Teirin, what are we going to do?” 

They all looked at him with this, this look of intensity. He was their only hope. He was the only one who had even begun training for fighting. The rest of the children were far too young for weapons. 

He heaved a shaky sigh. “We have to wait,” the child clutched herself to his leg and he rubbed her shoulders paternally. “We have to wait for the danger to be gone. We’ll check for survivors.” 

He tried to say it with confidence, and when the little girl looked up at him with tears streaming down her face he couldn’t help but think that there wouldn’t be any. No one would get out of this alive, and that these children were his only family now. He shed a single tear, but quickly turned and wiped it away. He couldn’t waver, he needed to be strong. For them. 

“What if there aren’t,” another child whimpered. “What if there aren’t any.. any.. “ The child started crying softly, not being able to finish his sentence. 

“Then we’ll have to grab whatever we can.” The children all huddled around him now, each one seemingly trying to hug him for comfort. “And then we’ll have to move on.”

He shuddered, thinking that this was all too soon. He always wished he could go off on his own, live his own adventures, but this was too soon. He hadn’t had the chance to be, to live. He was still a child, painfully so. 

They waited for hours like that, until the children fell asleep one by one. He covered the outer part of the cave with camouflage, and left one of the other older kids in charge of being a lookout. He had to go and see if it was actually all over. He took his time, tenative steps towards the camp, and started crying silently when he saw the carnage. His friends, his family, their corpses littered the ground. 

That was it then. They really were all gone. The battle was over and done, and not one of them had survived. There was nothing left of his life here, and he had to take it in. He had to hold this, keep this to himself. He hurt, tremendously, but he needed to be strong for them. As he ran back towards the cave, he internalized and saved this memory for when he needed to be reminded. 

He reached the cave, opening the foliage slightly to step inside. 

“So?” the lookout had said. 

He just solemnly shook his head. There were to be no tears, no weeping. He couldn’t. 

“We need to go there, as a group.” He tried to calm the shaking in his voice. “We should go now. I’ll go gather the rest of the children.”

“I need to protect them.” he thought to himself. “I need to keep them safe and sound.” 


	2. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teirin and the group survey the damage, and move ahead.

They huddled together, moving as a mass, rather than trying to move individually. As they passed each corpse, at least one or two children within whimpered. As they walked, they picked up bits and pieces of their lively-hood. When they reached what seemed like the middle of the camp, they spread out a little, by inches. Each of them keeping one another close but wandering to pick up necessities. They gathered everything they could, food, weapons, history of their clan, tools and other things. Teirin grabbed the Keeper's staff, knowing that at least one of these children was a mage, that they'd need it. With everything their little bodies could carry, they gathered back towards the center again. The older children huddling closer, making plans for where to head next. 

Teirin was the only one who had really been on any outings with the adults thus far, and that made him the authority on where to head next. He knew there was a village to the south a ways, but other than that he was almost clueless. They needed shelter, a place to call home if only for a short while, somewhere to rest and recover. 

"We head south." He finally stated, noting the authority he put in his tone. He needed to practice that, now that he lead them. They needed to feel safe with him around. "There's a small village, they're welcoming to our kind. We have to be on our best," he emphasized the word. "Absolute best behavior. We need to explain to them what has happened, and get help for where to go next." 

"Teirin?" a little girl spoke up, one of the younger children, he remembered her being called Valara. 

"Yes?" 

"Should we call you Keeper now?" She held on to his hand, grasping tight with her small nimble fingers. 

He thought about it. Was that who he was now? Was he their Keeper? Could he just.. do that? 

"Would you like to?" he finally asked, looking into her green eyes and squeezing her hand. 

She contemplated this for a moment, looking around to the other children. They all seemingly agreed on this fact, and she spoke up, "I think so, yes." 

"Then you may," he paused, looking at the other children, trying his best to seem open and welcoming. "But remember that I am more than that, I am Teirin, and any of you can come to me. Remember that I am just another one of you, alright?" 

"Yes," she paused and looked back to him. "Keeper."

With that they headed off, little Valara held on to his hand the whole time. After that conversation, the children followed him like their lives depended on it. Over time it became normal, them looking up to him like this. Valara at his side, they made their way towards the village in mostly silence. A few children would pop up with questions every now and then, and they had to stop to camp a couple times, but they made their way slow and sure. He didn't want to rush anyone into this, they needed their time to recover. When they did camp, he made sure to stop and talk with every child, comforting them in whatever way they needed. The infants were a struggle, but he did everything for them regardless. They all needed him, no matter how small. They eventually all opened up to him, losing the shy shell of grief when around him. 

When they reached the village, the folk had offered immediately to take them in. Orphan them out to willing parents, help them fix what had been lost. And after they discussed it as a group, they decided against it. The adults of the village seemingly respected his authority, and agreed to help them recover and travel on. 

* * *

 

Days turned into months and then into years, and they grew. They were now a rebuilt clan, but nothing within them had seemingly changed. They were all older and smarter, but they still looked to him for guidance. They had studied their crafts, a few mages and rogues popping up within the group, warriors and gatherers. They were stronger now, and other clans took note. He was still young, only 19 now, but he finally felt like he could lead them. He was the leader they needed, and he appreciated every one of them. The babes had grown into young children, walking and talking and living normally. They had no idea the tragedy that they had left behind them, and Teirin was glad for it. They deserved their childhood. 

Valara still stood by his side, now 13 herself, and helped him. They had become comrades and friends in all this mess. They were a force to be reckoned with, Teirin mused. Valara growing from the shy, quiet, and humble girl he thought he knew; into this loud, strong, warrior woman. They trained together, him with his maul, her with a sword and shield. 

"Valara," he said when they had ended their training for the day. "I'd like to talk to you, privately." 

She looked at him curiously, obviously wondering his intent. 

"Of course, Keeper." 

They walked back to the camp in quiet, he contemplated how to tell her this news he had stumbled upon in his head. When they reached his tent, he opened it and gestured for her to enter. 

"What did you need, Teirin?" 

He sighed, knowing the full weight of what he would be telling her. "I'd like to make you my First." 

She looked at him, eyes wide. Her hand went to her chest and she looked incredibly shocked. "Me?" 

"Yes."

"But--" She looked around. "There are many more qualified, Keeper, many that would jump at this chance, I'm sure you know. I'm not old enough or qualified enough--"

"Yes, you are." He brought the authority back into his voice. He had gotten much better at that over the years. "You are more than qualified, Valara. You know this, I know this. Everyone in the clan knows this. You are my most trusted advisor, and I know that when I need to take leave of the clan for the Conclave, I can leave it safely in your capable hands." He sighed. "I know this is a lot, and I know you may not want this. I'd like you to think about it. But I will be leaving in only a month or so, and I'd like you to have a decision by then." 

She looked down, hardened by the intensity of his voice. "Yes, Keeper." 

She left, and he sat down on his bedroll, head in his hands. He knew this was the right choice, but he didn't know if he was ready to leave yet. If anything were to happen at the Conclave.. The shems always did manage to start trouble, and he knew this all too well. 

He thought back to all those years ago when he had been thrust into his position, and knew that he was making the right choice. No one is ready for this, he thought, when has anyone been thoroughly prepared to lead? 

* * *

 

It was only days before he was set to leave when she brought him her answer, on her name day. 

"I accept." She said, bursting into his tent. "I understand the responsibility that has been bestowed to me, and I willingly accept it." 

"What made you change your mind?" Teirin questioned.

She suddenly lost her warrior like expression, looking down to fiddle her fingers together. "Because of you, Keeper, we are all alive." She looked at him, her stern green eyes meeting his golden ones. "You brought us from the brink of the void, and raised us all up. I look up to you in every sense, Keeper. And I can only hope to be like you one day."

He was caught off guard, especially when she walked over and hugged him. "If you believe in me Keeper, I will gladly take this responsibility."

She let go, and stepped back. "I--, Thank you, Valara." He patted her head, and grasped her fingers. "This means much to me." 

"Thank you, Keeper."

"I shall leave tomorrow, you know this." He said cautiously. "You'll have no time to really, take all of this in."

"I'm ready."

"Alright." He laid his hand on her shoulder, and she took her leave. 

He would need to get some rest before the morning, a long trip awaited him. 


End file.
